


Ribbon

by myboi



Series: Ribbon [1]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter/Funhaus RPF
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, LIKE SHE DOESNT EXIST, NO LINDSAY IN THIS, Pre tuggey, Self-Harm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-16
Updated: 2016-11-16
Packaged: 2018-08-31 07:15:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8569183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myboi/pseuds/myboi
Summary: You wear a purple ribbon around your wrist to hide a subtle secret. The boys are curious, but what happens when one finds out?(NO LINDSAY JONES IN THIS SO POSSIBLE ROMANCE?!?! Michael/reader)Possible trigger but pretty tame.(THIS IS THE FIRST PART OF 'RIBBON' THE SERIES. THEY ARE IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER)





	

You had a purple ribbon around your left wrist. It was always there, it was always fastened tight but not too tight around your wrist right above your hand. You had been wearing it everyday for so long that the skin underneath had been long paled from the natural tan you had acquired from the Texan heat. No one but you ever saw that baby soft skin under the ribbon. Nothing except a small blade had ever grazed the tender pallor. And under that ribbon was only ever a single, angry red line, of varying degrees of depth and width, usually just small sliver to keep you grounded. You’d opened and reopened that same cut since the 8th grade, when the purple ribbon became more than just a fashion statement. 

People all throughout your life would constantly ask you “Why do you wear that silly old ribbon all the time?”

The answer was always different.

“I’m supporting cancer survivors.”

“It’s cute”

“My favorite color is purple”

“I don’t like normal bracelets.”

 

But when you’d gotten a job at Achievement Hunter, it was different. No one ever asked about the ribbon. It was as much a part of you as your own fingers were. There was suspicion though, a suspicion that you never sensed. Hunters started asking you, which, at some point you knew was going to happen.

Gavin was the instigator.

With a mouth full of sub, he nodded towards your hand.

“Wha d awa wa at oody ing?”

“Excuse me? English?”

You replied, not understanding a word of the British stuffed garble. Gavin swallowed hardly, then cleared his throat.

“Why do you always wear that bloody thing?”

He was sipping on his beverage when Ryan turned around in his chair and squinted at your wrist, then turned back around and focused back on his previous task.

“Yeah… I never noticed that until now. What is it?”

He asked distractedly.

“I..uh..dunno”

You tried to avoid it entirely, you really didn’t want to lie to them. In fact, you don’t think you could. Physically, you went clammy, your heart pumping so fast you thought it might conflagrate. 

Geoff took off his headphones in noticing everyone staring at you.

“What’s up guys?”

“Nothing!”

You shouted back, sharper than you would have liked. Geoff looked offended, like you just told him to shush in his own library. He was about to put his headphones back on, but Gavin quickly interjected.”

“No it’s DEFINITELY something…”

“Shut up. Please just shut up about it.”

Jack was in the door frame as you, paranoid, looked around. You felt as you were exposed, about to be attacked from all angles.

“You’re salty as all heck today, y/n”

You took a deep breath and facepalmed.

“Guys, just leave it alone.”

Gavin seemed personally offended that you wouldn’t tell him. He was irritated, squirming around in his chair. Suddenly he got quiet.

“What, are you bloody cutting yourself or something? I’ll pay you 20 quid right now to show me what’s under there.”

He spat out the first part like a joke, but it kinda hurt you.

“Nah boi. I gotta get back to work.”

You spun around in your chair and Jack was behind you, and before you knew it he was spinning your chair back around. He took your wrist into his large hands and turned it around.You sharply pulled back your hand.

“I’m sorry. Did I hurt you? Here lemme take a look.”

Pulling your hand away a second time would have been a major clue, so you let Jack manipulate the ribbon and your wrist, watching him pull his glasses down and look at it closer. Gavin stood up and looked closer too, and before you know it, everyone in the room was huddled around your limp hand. 

“Whatcha all looking at?”

Michael came into the room.

“We are tryna guess why y/n always wears that ribbon.”

Gavin said.

“Lemme see.”

Michael looked over intrigued.

“Hey, um, y/n come step out in the hallway. The lighting is better. Everyone else stay here, don’t fuckin crowd her.”

Michael was the person you talked to least in AH, and frankly he kind of scared you. You got up obediently, and walked out the doors of the office, Michael following close behind. He walked to face you, and his hands on your jaw, making you look at him over the top of his glasses.

“Why do you wear that ribbon all the time?”

“Dunno.”

“Bullshit. Why do you wear that ribbon all the time?”

“It looks cool.”

“Bullshit. Try again.”

He grabbed your wrist and inspected it. When you hesitated to answer, he lifted an index nail under the fray of the ribbon.

“If I lift this up, what am I going to see?”

You squirmed at the thought, and the firm grip his calloused hand held yours in.

“I… I.. I dunno”

Your voice squeaked a bit, you felt burning in your face, like tears might come out.

“Guess I’ll find ou-”

“No!”

You covered the ribbon with your other hand.

“Y/n. Let me see.”

You pulled your free hand away, defeated. A single tear threatening it’s way out. It fell as you let him lift up the ribbon, revealing the cut, which had grown far deeper this time, creating two divides in the pale skin.

“Fuuuuck…”

Michael let out a breathy sigh.

“It’s only one!”

You yelled instinctively, pulling the ribbon back down.

“Yeah? And what happens when it’s two? Three four five six-”

“Stop, please, stop.” You sobbed now

“Seven, eight, dead.”

His eyes were dead set on yours. You were both quiet for what seemed like a long time.

“Does it hurt?”

His voice was raspy but tender.

“Yeah.”

Your voice hoarse as well. You kept looking away, but his hand was on your jaw again, leading your gaze into his.

“You gotta fucking stop this.”

There was a slight hint of a chuckle in his voice.

“Has it been cleaned?”

“It’s new. This morning. No.”

“Come with me.”

Wordlessly you both got up. He held your hand in his, firmly but guiding, like a child. He pulled you into the building, through the questioning people in their offices, into the bathroom, ran the water till it was warm, and pumped soap into his hand. He untied the ribbon, throwing it in the trash and started washing out the wound. You looked longingly into the bin.

“Hey. Baby steps, alright?”

He left the bathroom, pausing to tell you to stay there. He came back with an achievement hunter bracelet and a band-aid. Pressing the band-aid to your cut, then putting the wristband on, he pressed a kiss to your forehead and looked back into your eyes.

“Give me your phone.”

“What?”

“I know you have one, it's the 21st century.”

You handed him your phone and started typing vigorously at it.

“Here’s my number. Call me next time you want to do something crazy.”

He left the bathroom, then you followed him back into the AH office.

“Turns out she’s got a funny mole there. Huh. Never would have guessed”

Michael covered smoothly and no one was the wiser.


End file.
